Automatic interchangeable circuit-breaker.



W. S. MAYER.

AUTOMATIC INTERCHANGEABLE CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. i914.

Patented June 27, 1916.

THE coLuMuxA PLANOGRHH ca. wAsHxNurON. D. C.

WALTER S. MAYER,

OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC INTERCHANGEABLE CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Application filed May 2. 1914.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, IVALTER S. MATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Interchangeable Circuit-Breaker, of which the following is a specification.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a device readily insertible in electric circuits for breaking the circuit upon the occurrence of an overload.

In a preferred form it may have exterior shape and dimensions substantially the same as a standard fuse to be inserted in the customary spring clips in electric circuits This well known fuse of cartridge-like form with metallic ends to engage the metallic clips has a fusible wire which is destroyed when the current flow exceeds a certain amount, and the circuit is usually restored by removing the entire device and inserting another one with fuse wire in place.

My automatic circuit breaker is provided with means for interrupting the circuit upon an occurrence of overload and for restoring the circuit by actuating an exterior operating device. More specifically, the housing may, in an approved embodiment, be of form similar to that of the ordinary fuse cartridge and contains circuit breaking mechanism which serves to interrupt the circuit upon overload and there is provided an exterior operating device connected with the interior .mechanism so that the circuit may be restored. Provision is also made for preventing the circuit from being restored if the overload condition still continues.

The invention dispenses with .fuse wire and substitutes for such interrupting means, electro-mechanical devices which do not re quire the use of fusible elements.

A problem of considerable difficulty is involved in devising circuit breaking means of a practical nature which may be contained in small limits and may be readily inserted in a circuit, and the invention consists not only in means for carrying out the general purposes outlined above, but in the devices shown and described or their equivalents adapted for the above-described compact assembly and convenient mode of use.

I will new describe one preferred embodiment of the invention, the best that I have up to this time devised. The invention is, however, capable of embodiment in different Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Serial No. 835,912.

forms and I do not limit myself to details except as claimed hereafter.

In the drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal section of an appliance embodying the invention, the scale being about twice the size of the device when designed for use in place of one standard size of fuse plug, the showing being made in this enlarged form for the sake of clear-ness. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section of parts adjacent to the resetting ring, taken from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan vof movable contact sleeve 13. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a top plan of lixed contact sleeve 10. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the tubular body of the housing, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation'of the complete device ready for easy insertion in a circuit, for example, in the clips of a fuse block. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail of one end of the device.

Reference character l designates a tubular body of insulating material provided with metallic caps or end pieces 2, 3. In one end of the housing thus formed is a cupshaped contact piece t and within this is an electro-magnet comprising a core 5 and a winding 6, in this instance of ribbon of metal, connected at one end to the core and at the other end to contact piece 1l, the coil thus being suitably insulated by an interposed layer 7 of suitable insulating material. l The ends of the coil are insulated by sheets 8 of mica, or the like. The core is further insulated from contact 4. by a bushing 8 and the contact is insulated from cap or terminal 2 by a disk 8h. The core piece may be secured in position by providing it with a shoulder i *1 bearing against a metal washer 5b, thisl washer being insulated by washers 8 and washer' 8C. At the other end of the housing is a second fixed contact piece 10 in electrical contact with cap 8 and secured thereto by a rivetll, the rivet, however, being insulated by disks and bushing l2 of suitable insulating material. Slidably mounted within the body l is a movable contact piece 18 shown in elevation in Fig. 4. The central part of the bore of this tubular contact piece is cOunterbOred, or otherwise, inwardly-exlOt one ot the spring clips ot' a tuse block through cap armature 5, coil (i, contact l, sleeve 123 and contact 10 to cap and then to the other clip ot the tuse block. To break the circuit it is only necessarj.' to move the sleeve 13 in the direction ot' rivet 1l. rl`he circuit is then broken at both ends ot the sleeve at o nce and arcing is prevented by providing insulating sleeves 14rwithin sliding member 13 and inside and outside ot contact 10, as shown.

A. pin 15 is mounted within sleeve 13 and on this is pivoted a latch 16 having a downward projection 1T to which connected spring 18. rthe other end ot the spring is connected to the inward end of rivet 11. Ordinarily. sleeve 13 is held up in contact position against the pull ot the spring by engagement ot' thel latch with a bar 19 passing transversely through slots Q0 in body 1 and connected to a slider or resettingr member slidably mounted on the outside ot the body. rEhe slots Q0 have straight portions Q?, diagonal portionC 2st and lateral shoulders and, normally, the bar 1!) rests on these shoulders Q5 in the position shown in `Fig. 1 and thus retains latch 1G and maintains the sliding contact piece in contact position. lheterably7 the bar 19 'is provided with rollers 19n to engage slots 2G and with a roller 19" to engage the latch. rl`his provision ot separate rollers permits them to move in different directions under certain conditions without ii'itert'ering with the intended mode ot operation of the mechanism.

Pivoted within contact piece l is trigger QG having member QT constituting a magnet armature and another member QS confronting one `face ot latch 1G. The trigger-piece also has` a shoulder Q6 bearing against contact thimble l to limit the movement ot' the trigger. Upon occurrence ot an overload, the armature QT is attracted by the electromagnet and the trigger throws the latch oli' the bar 1G; spring 1S then quickly pulls the movable contact piece away 'from contact position and the circuit is broken. Fixed contact sleeve 10 is provided with slots 30 to accommoalate piu 15 and movable. contact sleeve i?) is provided with slots- 31 to accommodate bar 10. To reestablish the contact. resetting ring 22 is rotated to 'trcc bar 1S) trom shoulders '25 and the ring is then moved down as seen in Fig. 1. The diagonal portions il ot slots 20 acting upon the bar. rotate the ring again to be in aline-- ment with slots 30 and B1. and further movement ot the ring causes the bar to encounter slanting Vtace 33 ot the latch and move the latch back. and still iurthcr movement ot the ring` causes the latch to reiingage with bar 19. This movement ot the. latch is accommodated b v slot 3-.1 in Contact piece 10. rthe resetting ring is then moved up again carrying with it the latch and contact sleeve 18. and these parts are locked in contact position again by rotating the ring at the upper end oty its travel so that it again engages shoulders Q5. lt will be observed that it is impossible to reset the Contact it' an overload still continues, :t'or the reason that in that case the armature 2T will still be attracted by the magnet and trigger 2S will throw the latch ofi ot bar if) as soon as the latch approaches the trigger'. Safety in operation is thus effectively provided tor.

Evidently. within the small space permitted within a shell. or housing ot the type described. caret'ul construction and arrangement ot partsI is necessary to produce the above-described functions. The particular embodiment oit' the invention shown is the result ot careful study ot the conditions and is a satisfactory emlj odiment ot the principles of the invention but evidently the particular mechanism employed can be varied greatly and still respond to theA broader feature of the invention as above described.

The movable contact sleeve m'ay be provided with slots I3() at its lower end to make it somewhat f'ieXible/` to insure the eilieient engagement with contact. piece 10. The upper end is made sutliciently flexible by slots l claim:

i. ln an automatic quickly attachable circuit breakcr, the combination ot a tubular body ot' insulating material, metallic caps at the ends thereof, tubular iixed contact pieces within the ends ot the body, a slidable contact piece to make contact with both ol the fixed contact pieces, a detent pin passing through slots in the tubular l'idy and through slots provided in the movable contact member, a latch fixedly connected to the slidingl contact member by a pivot. a spring connected between a tail-piece ot the latch and one end oit the tubular body to actuate he latch and retract the movable contact. a reset ring slidably mounted outside the body and connected to said detent pin. an electro-magnet located within one end ot the body and a trigger pivoted within one end ot the body. adjacent to the magnet and having an armature to he attracted by the magnet core and a member to cooperate with the latch to release the same upon occurrence ot an overload.

1n an automatic quickly attachable circuit breaker. the combination of' a tubular body oil insulating material. metallic caps at the ends thereof, tubular fixed contact pieces within the ends of the body, a slidable contact piece to make contact with both ot' the fixed contact pieces. insuhiting sleeves carried by certain of the contact pieces, a detent pin passing through slots in the tubular body and through slots provided in the movable Contact member, a latch lixedly connected to the sliding contact member by a pivot, a spring connected between a tail-piece of the latch. and one end of the tubular body to actuate the latch and retract the movable contact, a reset ring Slidably mounted outside the body and connected to said detent pin, an electromagnet located within. one end of the body and a trigger' pivoted within one end ol the body, adjacent to the magnet and having an armature to be attracted by the magnet coro and a member to cooperate with the latch to release the same upon occurrence of an overload.

3. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of a tubular bodv having a slot provided with a lateral Shoulder, metallic cans 'at the ends of the body, an electro-magnet adjacent to one of the caps, two fixed contacts near the ends of the body, a movable contact, a spring ab'flierl thereto, latch connected to the movable contact, a pin passino" through said Slot and adapted to be engaged by the latch, an exterior resetting member connected to the pin, and a trigger actuated by the electro-magnet .for tripping the latch.

4. In an automatic quickly attachable circuit breaker, the combination of a tubular body having a Slot provided with a lateral shoulder, metallic caps at the ends of the body, an electro-magnet adjacent to one of the caps, two hxed contacts near the ends of the body, a movable contact provided with slots at one end. a pin-passing through the slots in the movable contact and in the body, an exterior reeetting ring connected to the pin, a pivot fixed to the movable contact, a latch pivoted thereon and having a member to engage said pin, al spring connected to a tail-niece ofY said latch and to the opposite end of the body, and a trigger pivoted adjacent to the magnet and having a member to trip the latch.

VALTER S. MAYER.

Vitnesses LEONARD C. CoUoH, CHARLES lV. SMiTH.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Comminioner of Patenti. Washington, D. C. 

